The 40 Best Austrian Actors

1. Maximilian Schell

Maximilian Schell was the most successful German-speaking actor in English-language films since Emil Jannings, the winner of the first Best Actor Academy Award. Like Jannings, Schell won the Oscar, but unlike him, he was a dedicated anti-Nazi. Indeed, with the exception of Maurice Chevalier and ...

2. Christoph Waltz

Actor | Django Unchained

Christoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor. He is known for his work with American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, receiving acclaim for portraying SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz in Django Unchained (2012). For each performance, he won...

3. Helmut Qualtinger

Actor | Der Name der Rose

Helmut Qualtinger was born on October 8, 1928 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor and writer, known for The Name of the Rose (1986), Der Paukenspieler (1971) and End of the Game (1975). He was married to Vera Borek and Seidler, Leomare. He died on September 29, 1986 in Vienna, Austria.

4. Klaus Maria Brandauer

Actor | Out of Africa

Klaus Maria Brandauer was a music student and studied drama at Stuttgarter Hochschule. He was a true stage actor and therefore didn't like to work in movies except for two small parts in The Salzburg Connection (1972) and Októberi vasárnap (1979). This changed when Hungarian director ...

5. Josef Hader

Actor | Der Knochenmann

Josef Hader was born on February 14, 1962 in Waldhausen, Austria. After attending grammar school in Melk (Lower Austria) he started studying Germany and History in 1981, but actually he focused on his talent as a comedian. In 1982 he wrote his first cabaret play called "Fort Geschritten". For his ...

6. Peter Lorre

Actor | M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder

Peter Lorre was born László Löwenstein in Rózsahegy in the Slovak area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the son of Hungarian Jewish parents. He learned both Hungarian and German languages from birth, and was educated in elementary and secondary schools in the Austria-Hungary capitol Vienna, but did ...

7. Tobias Moretti

Actor | Kommissar Rex

Tobias Moretti was born on July 11, 1959 in Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria. He is an actor, known for Kommissar Rex (1994), A Hidden Life (2019) and The Hard Cops (2004). He has been married to Julia Moretti since August 31, 1997. They have three children.

8. Peter Alexander

Soundtrack | Im weissen Rössl

To paraphrase the Beatles, one could say that, like Michelle and Ma Belle, Peter Alexander and Music are words that go together well, for the Austrian entertainer (musician, singer and actor) was associated with music from cradle to tomb. Born in Vienna in 1926, the son of a banker and his wife, ...

9. Gunther Philipp

Actor | Unsere tollen Tanten

Gunther Philipp was born on June 8, 1918 in Maroshévíz, Hungary, Austria-Hungary [now Toplita, Romania]. He was an actor and writer, known for Unsere tollen Tanten (1961), Mikosch, der Stolz der Kompanie (1958) and The Beggar Student (1956). He was married to Gisela Kirchberg, Monika S., Anna-Maria...

10. Karl Markovics

Actor | Die Fälscher

Karl Markovics was born on August 29, 1963 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and director, known for The Counterfeiters (2007), Breathing (2011) and Superwelt (2015). He is married to Stephanie Taussig. They have two children.

11. Curd Jürgens

Actor | The Spy Who Loved Me

Curd Jürgens (commonly billed as "Curt Jurgens" in anglophone countries) was one of the most successful European film actors of the 20th Century. He was born Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens on December 13, 1915, in Solln, Bavaria, in Hohenzollern Imperial Germany, a subject of Kaiser ...

12. Alfred Dorfer

Writer | Dorfers Donnerstalk

Alfred Dorfer is an Austrian actor, stage comedian and script writer. He was studying "Theatre studies" at the University of Vienna when he met the actor Herwig Seeböck, who started to train him in acting. Dorfer discontinued his academic studies for 25 years, but made his Master in 2007, followed ...

13. Andreas Lust

Actor | Munich

Andreas Lust was born on March 20, 1967 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor, known for Munich (2005), Revanche (2008) and The Robber (2010).

14. Paulus Manker

Actor | Weiningers Nacht

Paulus Manker was born on January 25, 1958 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and director, known for Weininger's Last Night (1990), Schmutz (1987) and Der Kopf des Mohren (1995).

15. Roland Düringer

Actor | Hinterholz 8

Roland Düringers grew up in Vienna, Austria, where his father was a cloakroom attendant at the famous Viennese Burgtheater. Düringer, who was at that time pupil of a "Secondary technical college" met (because of father occupation) the actor Herwig Seeböck, who invited him to his theatre workshops ...

16. Erwin Steinhauer

Actor | Brüder

Erwin Steinhauer was born on September 19, 1951 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and writer, known for Brüder (2002), Brüder III - Auf dem Jakobsweg (2006) and Thank You for Bombing (2015).

17. Fritz Muliar

Actor | Kommissar Rex

After his education at the Vienna Conservatory he got his first engagement at Stella Kadmons cabaret in 1937. Little time later he was engaged at the 'Theater an der Josefstadt', where he became one of Austria's most popular artists and where he is still acting and directing in various productions.

18. Wolfgang Böck

Actor | Trautmann

Wolfgang Böck was born on January 14, 1953 in Linz, Austria. He is an actor, known for Trautmann (2000), The Red Violin (1998) and Brüder III - Auf dem Jakobsweg (2006). He has been married to Sonja Krensner since 2004. They have one child.

19. August Schmölzer

Actor | Die Familienanwältin

August Schmölzer was born on June 27, 1958 in St. Stefan ob Stainz, Styria, Austria. He is an actor and writer, known for Die Familienanwältin (2006), Schindler's List (1993) and Downfall (2004). He was previously married to Isabella Hübner.

20. Hans Moser

Actor | 7 Jahre Pech

Hans Moser, whose real name is Jean Juliet, was trained in theater by the court actor Josef Moser. He later took his last name and combined it with the German translation of his first name. In 1897 he had his first engagement in Bohemia. He later took part in a traveling theater that took him ...

21. Michael Ostrowski

Actor | Die unabsichtliche Entführung der Frau Elfriede Ott

Michael Ostrowski was born to two school teachers on January 3, 1973 in Leoben, Austria as Michael Stockinger. During the time he studied English/American Studies and French at the University Graz he started to act in a theater group and instead of writing his dissertation he wrote the script for "...

22. Nicholas Ofczarek

Actor | Der Pass

Nicholas Ofczarek was born on May 30, 1971 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and writer, known for Pagan Peak (2018), Wir Staatskünstler (2011) and Tatort (1970). He is married to Tamara Metelka. They have one child.

23. Karl Merkatz

Actor | Der Bockerer

Karl Merkatz was born on November 17, 1930 in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, Austria. He was an actor and writer, known for Der Bockerer (1981), Der Bockerer 2 (1996) and Der Bockerer IV - Prager Frühling (2003). He was married to Martha Metz. He died on December 4, 2022 in Straßwalchen, ...

24. Johannes Silberschneider

Actor | Le violon rouge

Johannes Silberschneider was born on December 13, 1958 in Mautern, Styria, Austria. He is an actor, known for The Red Violin (1998), Life Eternal (2015) and Hamlet_X (2003).

25. Robert Stadlober

Actor | Sommersturm

Robert Stadlober was born on August 3, 1982 in Friesach, Carinthia, Austria. He is an actor and producer, known for Summer Storm (2004), Enemy at the Gates (2001) and Engel & Joe (2001).

26. Simon Schwarz

Actor | Die Siebtelbauern

Simon Schwarz was born on January 10, 1971 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and producer, known for The Inheritors (1998), Crush My Heart (2018) and Everything Will Be Okay (2015).

27. Peter Simonischek

Actor | Toni Erdmann

Peter Simonischek was born on August 6, 1946 in Graz, Austria. He was an actor, known for Toni Erdmann (2016), The Interpreter (2018) and Sapphire Blue (2014). He was married to Brigitte Karner and Charlotte Schwab. He died on May 29, 2023 in Vienna, Austria.

28. Peter Weck

Actor | Ich heirate eine Familie...

Peter Weck was born on August 12, 1930 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and director, known for Ich heirate eine Familie... (1983), Hilfe, ich liebe Zwillinge (1969) and Sissi (1955). He was previously married to Ingrid Muttone.

29. Manuel Rubey

Actor | Falco - Verdammt, wir leben noch!

Manuel Rubey was born on March 26, 1979 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and producer, known for Falco - Verdammt, wir leben noch! (2008), Fauner Consulting (2011) and Gruber Is Leaving (2015).

30. Harald Krassnitzer

Actor | Tatort

Harald Krassnitzer was born on September 10, 1960 in Grödig, Salzburg, Austria. He is an actor, known for Tatort (1970), Der Bergdoktor (1992) and Mutig in die neuen Zeiten (2005).

31. Michael Niavarani

Actor | Novotny und Maroudi

Michael Niavarani was born on April 29, 1968 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and writer, known for Novotny und Maroudi (2005), Ex - Eine romantische Komödie (2008) and Kaisermühlen Blues (1992).

32. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Actor | Terminator 2: Judgment Day

With an almost unpronounceable surname and a thick Austrian accent, who would have ever believed that a brash, quick talking bodybuilder from a small European village would become one of Hollywood's biggest stars, marry into the prestigious Kennedy family, amass a fortune via shrewd investments and...

33. Andreas Vitásek

Actor | Brüder III - Auf dem Jakobsweg

Andreas Vitásek was born on May 1, 1956 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and writer, known for Brüder III - Auf dem Jakobsweg (2006), Müllers Büro (1986) and Vitasek? (2010). He has been married to DariaBiezunski-Vitásek since September 9, 2009. They have one child. He was ...

34. Helmut Berger

Actor | The Godfather Part III

Helmut Berger - Austrian born film actor, mostly known for starring in Luchino Visconti's films, which are now considered modern classics. Born Helmut Steinberger in Salzburg in 1944, he turned down a prospect of running a family hotel business and went to London where he worked as waiter to pay ...

35. Otto Schenk

Actor | Die Fledermaus

Otto Schenk was born on June 12, 1930 in Vienna, Austria. He is an actor and director, known for Die Fledermaus (1972), Arabella (1977) and Merry-Go-Round (1973). He was previously married to Renée Michaelis.

36. Karlheinz Hackl

Actor | Sophie's Choice

Karlheinz Hackl was born on May 16, 1949 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor and director, known for Sophie's Choice (1982), Tatort (1970) and Radetzkymarsch (1994). He was married to Maria Köstlinger and Brigitta Furgler. He died on June 1, 2014 in Vienna, Austria.

37. Götz Kauffmann

Actor | Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter

Götz Kauffmann was born on January 15, 1949 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor, known for Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter (1975), Mozart und Meisel (1987) and Kaisermühlen Blues (1992). He died on January 26, 2010 in Vienna, Austria.

38. Alfred Böhm

Actor | Patient aus Leidenschaft

Alfred Böhm was born on March 23, 1920 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor and director, known for Patient aus Leidenschaft (1991), Die Orchesterprobe (1979) and Herr im Haus bin ich (1970). He was married to Edeltraud Jerzö. He died on September 22, 1995 in Ströblitz, Lower Austria, Austria.

39. O.W. Fischer

Actor | Ich suche dich

O.W. Fischer was born on April 1, 1915 in Klosterneuburg, Austria-Hungary. He was an actor and director, known for Ich suche dich (1956), Arms and the Man (1958) and Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein (1961). He was married to Anna Usell. He died on January 29, 2004 in Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland.

40. Heinrich Schweiger

Actor | Franz Schubert

Heinrich Schweiger was born on July 23, 1931 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor, known for Franz Schubert (1953), Hiob (1978) and Everyman (1961). He was married to Ursula Stenzel, Eva and ???. He died on July 14, 2009 in Salzburg, Austria.